Ripples
by hostilecrayon
Summary: Duo is having a hard time finding his place in the new world. Heero tells him what he's found to live for.


Title: Ripples  
Author: hostilecrayon  
Pairing: 1 equals 2  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Suicide talk, fluff  
Word Count: 882  
Disclaimer: For some reason, the rights to Gundam Wing aren't listed on Craig's List. Oh well. Gundam Wing is owned by Hajime Yatate and Yoshiyuki Tomino.  
Notes: Written for Link Worshiper, based on the prompt of Dawn at GW500, and inspired by this picture by Faid: (I'm not really sure why I was inspired by the picture, as I hadn't seen it in quite some time, but as I wrote the opening lines to this piece, it came unbidden to my mind.) I suppose, then, I should also extend my dedication to Sharon for hosting her wonderful contests that bring inspiration to so many and for showing off artists' work that may not otherwise be seen.

I luff you Link! No one knows what's to come, and even though it's hard now, it gets better.

**Ripples**

Duo sat quietly by the bay window and watched as the waves licked at the sand. It felt wrong that the ocean could stay the same while the world around it changed so drastically. Everything that had been was gone now, welcoming in the new era of peace. He wasn't sure where a boy who had lived their whole life in search of revenge could fit in the new world.

He found himself mesmerized by the ripples caused by the steadily falling rain and he sighed as they bumped into each other. They were like the soldiers; trying to move ahead only to be pushed back into nothingness.

His coffee had long since grown cold, but he sipped at the bitter liquid anyways, lost in his morose thoughts.

He barely noticed the footsteps that came some time later, and his eyes remained firmly set on the dark landscape, willing them to continue on their path. But contrary to his wishes, the footsteps hesitated and a tentative call of "Duo?" rang through the room. He didn't reply, but light poured into the room and the footfalls grew closer.

For a few long moments, the presence just existed there beside him. Then, "Why are you still up?"

Duo finally turned and looked at the intruder, still fully dressed aside from his socks and shoes. He raised an eyebrow, a habit he had picked up from the very man standing in front of him. "I could ask the same of you."

Heero ran his fingers through his bangs; the mark that he spent much too much time with Duo. "I didn't hear you go to bed. I was worried."

Duo snorted. "I'm a big boy, Heero. You don't have to wait up for me."

Heero fixed him with a disapproving look. "I think I might."

"Oh? And why's that, mother?"

Heero started to glare, but he thought better of it and looked away. "You haven't been yourself lately."

Duo closed his eyes and shrugged. "Can't a guy have a bad day?"

"Try a bad month."

"It happens."

Heero sighed, folding his arms in front of him. "Duo, the war is over. This is the part where we find peace, not fall to pieces."

Duo barked out a harsh laugh. "And you've found peace, Heero?"

"Maybe not peace… but I've found something like it."

"And that is?"

"Hope."

He snorted. "Hope may work for you, but I just don't see anything to hope for. I don't have a place in this world."

Heero raised his eyebrows and openly scoffed at Duo. "You? The greatest stealth infiltrator there is, not have a place somewhere?"

"You know what I mean, Heero. That's just an act. Now that the war is over, I shouldn't have to act anymore."

Heero just looked at him and stated simply, "Then don't."

"Oh yes," came the sarcastic remark, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Heero shrugged. "So you want to end it? You won two wars, and you're giving up over something so simple?"

Duo stared back out into the darkness. "Tell me something, Heero. What is it you hope for?"

"You know, I tried to end it all once."

"How could I forget? I watched you blow yourself up."

Heero shifted uncomfortably. "Right. Well, I thought that it was my time. I had no problem with just ending it all. In fact, I'd been looking for a way to die. The world didn't need someone like me in it."

"You saved the world. Of course the world needed you."

"But that's exactly my point, Duo. I didn't see any purpose for me. But I lived, much to my dismay. After that, I got to know my comrades in more than just a 'we are all soldiers' sort of way. I found my purpose in fighting – together."

"But the war is over now."

Heero held up a hand to silence Duo. "I'm not finished. And now that there is no more fighting, I found my purpose in my friends. I'm starting to see the bigger picture, I think."

"What picture?"

Heero leaned over Duo and pointed to the puddle outside the window. "You see the ripples in the water? They're constantly touching, pushing and molding each other. Each raindrop affects all of the others in the water."

Duo watched the rain again, but this time, he could see that the ripples didn't really disappear. Their rings shaped the rest of the ripples around it, forever bending and changing each other so that there was room for every last one of them.

Dawn was breaking and the sun sparkled across the ocean, the rays slowly feeling their way through the rain.

"You have hope for the future."

Heero smiled. "Yes." He hesitated then, but his eyes found Duo's and he breathed, "And hope for you."

"For me?"

Heero swallowed, nodding. He reached a tentative hand towards Duo, and before Duo knew what was happening, he was holding his mug out of the way and reaching for Heero with his other hand. Heero's fingers brushed over Duo's hair and their lips met, soft and gentle. When they parted, Heero didn't release his hold on Duo. "Do you think you could find hope?"

Slowly, a smile crept over Duo's face. "For you, I think I can."


End file.
